Created by
Gary B. Rollman,
Emeritus Professor of Psychology,
University of Western Ontario
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Friday, September 25, 2015

CVS won't require prescriptions for heroin life-saver | PennLive.com

CVS pharmacies has made the drug naloxone, which can reverse a heroin or painkiller overdose, available without a prescription in 12 states including Pennsylvania.

The move comes amid a national epidemic of overdoses involving opiates, a category of drug that includes prescription painkillers such as OxyContin and heroin.

Naloxone, which comes in injectable and nose-spray forms, has increasingly been carried by first-responders such as police, and has gained widespread attention for its ability to save addicts. While the drug does nothing to stop their addiction, it give addicts a chance at obtaining treatment and recovering.

Last year, Pennsylvania changed state law to make naloxone available to non-medical first responders and families. It has long been used by hospitals and ambulance crews.

A CVS spokesman couldn't immediately be reached Thursday to say how much naloxone will cost in the midstate.

Naloxone is commonly sold under the brand name Narcan. According to recent news reports, the price of naloxone has recently doubled, apparently because of the growing demand.